Chef Guide for Chefs: David Nelson: Thanksgiving Recipes
Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 1 Number 047 - November 20, 2001.
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Hello Recipe Club! Today I will give you five recipes. One beautiful autumn soup, a couple of appetizers and two breads. The soup may sound odd to you, but once you try it, you'll love it! It's brilliant yellow color and earthy fall flavor will impress you. Maybe everyone in the world has an artichoke dip and cheese straws recipe, but then again, maybe not everybody.

The Tomato Herb bread is a favorite in our house any time of the year and the Zucchini bread recipe is a keeper! It freezes well and I usually make enough for Christmas when I make it for Thanksgiving.

Bon Appetit, David Nelson

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CREAM OF YELLOW SQUASH AND MOREL MUSHROOM SOUP
 
Serves 4
 
Preparation   :15    Cook   :30    Stand   :00    Total   :45
 
This is truly earthy soup. Hearty and colorful.
 
2/3 ounce morel mushrooms, dried
2 tablespoons butter
2 yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1/4 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh garlic, chopped
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon red bell peppers, small dice

Bring one cup of water to boil, add the mushrooms, cover and remove from the heat. Allow the mushrooms to soak for 45 minutes. Drain the softened mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Cut the mushrooms into 1/4" slices and rinse them under cold running water to remove any dirt particles.

Combine butter, squash, onion, garlic, bouillon cubes, spices, and 1 cup of water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
 
Pour cooked squash mixture into a blender and puree. The mixture will be thick. Add heavy cream and 1/4 cup of the reserved mushroom liquid (strained) to the mixture and blend.
 
Add the sliced mushrooms and the red peppers. ENJOY!!!

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HOT ARTICHOKE AND CHILE DIP
 
Serves 6
 
Preparation   :10    Cook   :20    Stand   :00    Total   :30
 
This recipe was a gift from my friend Patsy Capistron.
 
1 cup mayonnaise
1 8 oz. can artichoke quarters, chopped
1 4 oz. can green chiles, chopped
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup Parmesan cheese
 
Reserve 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese to top the dish with. 
 
Combine all ingredients and place in a small casserole dish. Top with the reserved Parmesan cheese.  Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
 
Serve with toasted bread points

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CHEDDAR CHEESE STRAWS

Makes around 36 straws

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. Cheddar cheese, finely grated
1/2 stick softened butter
1/8 tsp. Paprika
1/8 tsp. Cayenne
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Cream the cheese and butter together using an electric mixer. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thick rectangle on a floured cutting board. Cut the dough into strips about 3-4 inches long by a half-inch thick. Twist the strips a few times and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Place in the oven for 5-7 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack.

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PAMMIE'S FAMOUS TOMATO-HERB BREAD
 
Serves 12
 
Preparation   :30    Cook   :57    Stand   2:30    Total   3:57

Ingredients:
 
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or oregano
3 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 envelope yeast
1/2 cup water, warm (105-115 degrees)
12 ounces tomatoes, peeled, seeded and pureed
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/2 to 4 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp. of water (glaze)
 
In a heavy skillet that has a snug-fitting lid, cook the shallots in the olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Do not brown them. Stir in the fresh herbs and remove from heat. Allow to cool.
 
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. of sugar and the yeast over the warm water in a mixing bowl fitted with a dough hook. Mix until the yeast is foamy, let the mixture rest covered for 10 minutes.
 
Add the shallot mixture to the yeast mixture and blend, then add the tomato puree, salt and sugar. Blend. Add 1 cup of flour at a time and blend until dough is soft and elastic and pulls away from the sides of the bowl easily. Knead until elastic, 5-7 minutes. Add the dough to a large bowl that has been coated with
olive oil and turn the dough so as to coat it well. Cover with plastic wrap, then a kitchen towel. Let it stand uninterrupted in a warm draft free area until it has doubled in size, about 1-1 1/2 hours.
 
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Punch the dough down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes. Shape the dough into 2 loaves, like french bread or into 1 large round slightly flattened loaf and place it onto the baking pan. Cover with the towel again and let it rise again for about 45 minutes until doubled. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Brush each loaf with the glaze and place it on the center rack for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Cook for another 25-30 minutes until the loaf is a russet-orange color and sounds hollow when thumped on its bottom. Cool on rack.

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SUN-DRIED BERRY ZUCCHINI NUT BREAD
 
Serves 20
 
Preparation   :15    Cook   1:10    Stand   :05    Total   1:30
 
 Not just for the holidays, serve this any time of the year with softened cream cheese.
 
3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups zucchini, grated
2/3 cup carrots, grated
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts
3 ounces sun-dried berries, I like cranberries or "Craisins"
 
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 2 9x4 inch bread pans.
 
Beat the eggs slightly and add the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Mix well. Add the grated zucchini and carrots and mix well. Sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, baking powder and soda together. Add to the egg mixture and blend until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add the nuts and berries. Stir to distribute evenly.

Pour the mixture into the floured bread pans and bake for 65-75 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
 
Once the loaves have rested for about 5 minutes remove them from the pans to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely. Once cool, wrap them in plastic wrap and chill.

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Shopping Lists:


**** Soup

morel mushrooms, dried
Butter
2 yellow squash
1 yellow onion
Fresh garlic
Chicken bouillon cubes
Turmeric
Cumin
Dry mustard
Black pepper
Heavy cream
Red bell pepper


**** Artichoke Dip

mayonnaise
1 8 oz. can artichoke quarters
1 4 oz. can green chiles, chopped
Seasoned salt
Garlic powder
Parmesan cheese


**** Cheese Straws

Cheddar cheese
butter
Paprika
Cayenne
salt
all-purpose flour


**** Tomato Herb Bread

olive oil
1/2 cup shallots
Fresh garlic
Fresh basil
Fresh thyme, or oregano
Sugar
1 envelope yeast
2 tomatoes
Salt
All-purpose flour
1 egg


**** Zucchini Bread

3 eggs
Canola oil
2 cups sugar
Vanilla
2 zucchini
Carrots
3 cups flour
Salt
Cinnamon
Baking powder
Baking soda
1/2 cup walnuts
3 ounces sun-dried berries, I like cranberries or "Craisins"
 
 
 
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